Decorative wall fixture

ABSTRACT

A decorative fixture for hanging on a wall, having a baseboard in sections, slots in the baseboard, and supported items having studs protruding therefrom, the studs simultaneously holding the segments of the baseboard together and supporting the supported item in cantilevered fashion from the baseboard.

United States Patent [191 Willis [45] Aug. 13, 1974 DECORATIVE WALLFIXTURE 2 ,2 3/1958 [76] Inventor: Arthur E. Willis, 927 Circuit Dr.,ROSCVlllfi, Calif. 95678 3:469: 13 9 19 9 22 Filed: Jan. 24, 19733,668,798 6/1972 [21] Appl' 326,462 Primary Examiner-Robert W. MichellAssistant ExaminerWenceslao J. Contreras [52] US. Cl. 40/152.1 Attorney,g or Firm-Ernest Brown [51] Int. Cl. ..G09fl/12 [58] Field of Search40/145, 142 R, 140, 143, [57] ABSTRACT 40/125 H, 128, 152.1, 124;248/475; 403/343 109 10 379 344; 52 75 R 75 A decorative fixture forhanging on a wall, having a C 758 D baseboard in sections, slots in thebaseboard, and supported items having studs protruding therefrom, the[56] References Cited studs simultaneously holding the segments of thebaseboard together and supporting the supported item in UNITED STATESPATENTS cantilevered fashion from the baseboard. 1,587,966 6/1926 LeFevre 40/142 R 2,588,009 3/1952 Jones 248/489 Qlaims, 13 Drawing FiguresPAIENIEU AUB 1 3 I974 SHEET 1 OF 2 DECORATIVE WALL FIXTURE BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION The article of manufacture of this invention may be usedas a knick-knack shelf, to support a mirror, picture or the like.

It is a common American pastime to collect knickknacks such as cups andsaucers, salt and pepper shakers, and the like as souvenirs. At one timethe habit was so prevalent that one frequently found that a shelf wasbuilt around the living room in a typical American house for carryingsuch items.

Typically one places souvenirs on a fireplace mantle or the top of achest of drawers in a bedroom. If one wants to hang a mirror or picture,one typically screws it to the wall or hangs it from a hook.

The article of manufacture contemplated by this invention is adecorative fixture for hanging on a wall for supporting shelves,mirrors, pictures or decorative placques.

The article has a sectional baseboard with two or more interlockingsections. The adjacent edges of adjacent sections are contoured to becomplementary. Two adjacent interlocking ends of the sections have achannel on one of the adjacent ends and a male member or tab on theother adjacent end, matching the channel. The channel and the tab ormale member have overlapping keyhole slots therein.

Studs fit through the slots, holding the adjacent sections ininterlocking relationship. Each of the studs has a shank which slidesfreely in the slots and a head which is larger than the slot and smallerthan the entrance opening for the slot. I

Attached to the studs is an item to be supported. That item may, forexample, be a picture frame, a mirror or a shelf.

If desired, secondary items, such as a picture frame or placque may rideon the studs between the baseboard and the primary items to besupported. These secondary items have keyhole slots alignedwith thekeyhole slots on the baseboard so that the studs on the primary items tobe supported pass through the aligned keyhole slots in the secondaryitems and in the baseboard.

The centers of the sections of the baseboard may also have keyhole slotsto receive studs attached to other items to be supported.

In a preferred embodiment, the secondary items to be supported have achannel on the back thereof which straddles the baseboard. If only theprimary items are supported, it is desirable to have a channel on theback of those primary items for straddling the baseboard.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a decorative wallfixture which may conveniently be packaged in disassembled form, thenassembled and attached to the wall with the supported items holding thepieces of the fixture together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects will become apparentfrom the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a picture frame supported by a baseboard in accordance withthis invention;

FIG. 2 shows a back view of the supported picture frame of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a typical sectional baseboard in accordance with oneembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a sectional baseboard in accordancewith this invention;

FIG. 5 is a view, partly in section, taken at 5-5 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the device of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a view, partly fragmented, taken at 77 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken at 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view, partly in section; taken at 9-9 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken at l0l0 in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a top view of a typical shelf supported in accordance withthe embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the shelf of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a view taken at 13-13 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1 through 5 and 13 show aplurality of picture frames 10,12 mounted upon a baseboard 14. Thebaseboard 14 is made in a plurality of sections l6, 18.

It is intended that FIG. 3 should represent a multiple section baseboardwhich may have only two sections 16, 18 or which may have more sections,as desired. Further, although only two frames 10, 12 are shown, it isintended that the baseboard 14 may carry as many frames or other items,as desired.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the sections 16 and 18 have complementaryends 20, 22. The male member or tab 24 slides into a channel 26 in theend 20 until the end surface 28 abuts the surface 30 and the surface 32abuts the surface 34.

The pair of keyhole slots 36 and 38 overlap, i.e. are in alignment, whenthe member 22 is inserted into the channel 26. Each keyhole slot has anenlarged end, such as 40, to receive a stud (to be described).

The channel 26 may be formed by flanges 50, 52, as shown in FIG. 3, orby overlying tabs 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, asshown in FIG. 4.

To hold the sections l6, 18 of the baseboard 14 together, astud isinserted through the larger end 40 of the slots 36, 38. The stud has ashank 72 which slides in the slots 36, 38 and a head 74 which is largerthan the width of the slots 36, 38 but smaller than the enlarged portion40 so that the stud 70 may be inserted into the slot, then allowed toslide into the narrower region of the slot. The stud 70 holds thesections 16 and 18 together.

Additional slots 80, 82, 84 may be positioned on the baseboard 14.

The stud 70 preferably projects from the back of the mirror 10, as shownmore particularly in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the studs 90, 92 may fit intothe keyhole slot 82, 84 to support the mirror 10 on the baseboard l6.Alternatively, the mirror 10 may be used with one of the studs or 92passing through slots 36, 38 and the other passing through slot 80.

Preferably the back of the frame 10, and other like frames, has achannel which straddles the baseboard 14, as shown particularly in FIGS.1 and 5. The

channel is shown in FIG. 2 on an angle to the mirror 10, whereby theembodiment of FIG. 2 is adapted to straddle a baseboard which crossesthe back of the mirror at an angle. The use of a baseboard at an anglefrom the horizontal is usually decorative, and the baseboard need notnecessarily be at such an angle but may proceed straight across the backof the mirror as shown more particularly in FIG. 1.

If desired, the mirror surface 102 may be inclined outwardly from thebaseboard as shown in FIG. 5.

A typical picture frame, having a slidable insert 200 which inserts intothe picture frame and which carrier a picture 202, fits into grooves inthe side of the picture frame and behind the glass cover, as shown inFIG. 13.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in detail in FIGS. 6through 12. The embodiment of FIGS. 6 through 12 shows four differentplacques 110, 112, 114, 116 supported upon a baseboard 14, each having ashelf 118, 120, 122, 124 positioned in front of the placque. Each shelf,as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, has a pair of studs 126, 128, similar tothat of FIGS. 1 through 5, which project through keyhole slots, such asslot 130 in FIG. 7. The baseboard 14 also has keyhole slots therein,matching the keyhole slot 130, to receive the studs 126, 128. The studs126, 128 also serve to hold together the sections of the baseboard 14,as in FIGS. 1 through 5.

FIGS. 8 and 10 show the manner in which the stud 128 penetrates througha keyhole slot in the placque or decoration 114, thence through thekeyhole slot in the placque or decoration 114, thence through thekeyhole slots in the channel 26 and in the male member or the tab 24.Thus, the shelf 122 (and the other shelves as well) is cantilevered fromthe baseboard 14, and the studs 126, 128 support the decorative placque114.

In a typical situation, one might have a heart-shaped placque 110, aclub-shaped placque 112, a diamondshaped placque 114 and a spade-shapedplacque 116. These placques may be of different color. For example, byanalogy with a deck of cards, the hearts and diamonds may be red whilethe clubs and spades may be black. The shelves 118, 120, 122, 124 may beused to support knick-knacks.

The four placques 110, 112, 114, 116, the four shelves 118, 120, 122,124, and a pair of sections of the baseboard 14 may be packaged togetherand sold as, for example, a souvenir in a gambling casino.

Organizations such as Service Organizations (Rotary, Kiwanis,Toastmasters, and the like) may mount their symbol or sea] placque upona baseboard, such as the baseboard 14,either as secondary placques 110,112, 114, 116 or after the fashion of the mounting of the mirros ofFIGS. 1 through 5.

Thus, it may be seen that the apparatus of this invention is anextremely useful decorative fixture which may compactly be packaged, andwhich may be used to support a substantial number of decorative items orutilitarian items such as picture frames, mirrors, and the like.

Although the invention has been described in detail above, it is notintended that the invention should be limited by that description, butonly by that description in combination with the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination:

a sectional baseboard having a plurality of interlock- .ing sections,the adjacent edges of adjacent sections being complementary, adjacentinterlocking ends of said sections having a channel on one of saidadjacent ends and a male member on the other said adjacent end, saidmale member matching said channel said channel and said male memberhaving overlapping keyhole slots therein; and

at least one stud for each said slot, the shank of said stud slidingfreely in said slots, and the head of said studs being larger than saidslot and smaller than the entrance opening for said slot, said studsfurther including a supported member attached thereto. a

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 and further com prising additionalkeyhole slots in said baseboard section; and

additional supported members having studs thereon, said studs havingshanks which slide freely in said last name slots and having a headwhich is larger than said slots and smaller than the entrance openingfor said slots;

whereby said supported elements are supported, through their respectivestuds, by said baseboard and the said studs in said over-lapping slothold together the sections of said baseboard.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 and further comprising:

secondary supported members, having keyhole slots therein aligned withsaid baseboard slots; and

said studs on said first mentioned supported members being positionedthrough said slots in said secondary supported members and in saidbaseboard;

whereby said first mentioned and said secondary supported members aresupported, through said studs, by said baseboard.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which said secondary supportedmembers each have a channel therein dimensioned to straddle saidbaseboard sections, and said slots in said secondary members arepositioned in said last named channels.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said supported members havechannels therein dimensioned to straddle said baseboard sections, andsaid studs are positioned within said last named channels.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5 in which said supported member is apicture holder comprising:

a picture frame, a transparent cover, and a slidable picture backingwhich fits between said frame and said cover.

1. In combination: a sectional baseboard having a plurality ofinterlocking sections, the adjacent edges of adjacent sections beingcomplementary, adjacent interlocking ends of said sections having achannel on one of said adjacent ends and a male member on the other saidadjacent end, said male member matching said channel said channel andsaid male member having over-lapping keyhole slots therein; and at leastone stud for each said slot, the shank of said stud sliding freely insaid slots, and the head of said studs being larger than said slot andsmaller than the entrance opening for said slot, said studs furtherincluding a supported member attached thereto.
 2. Apparatus as recitedin claim 1 and further comprising additional keyhole slots in saidbaseboard section; and additional supported members having studsthereon, said studs having shanks which slide freely in said last nameslots and having a head which is larger than said slots and smaller thanthe entrance opening for said slots; whereby said supported elements aresupported, through their respective studs, by said baseboard and thesaid studs in said over-lapping slot hold together the sections of saidbaseboard.
 3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 and further comprising:secondary supported members, having keyhole slots therein aligned withsaid baseboard slots; and said studs on said first mentioned supportedmembers being positioned through said slots in said secondary supportedmembers and in said baseboard; whereby said first mentioned and saidsecondary supported members are supported, through said studs, by saidbaseboard.
 4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which said secondarysupported members each have a channel therein dimensioned to straddlesaid baseboard sections, and said slots iN said secondary members arepositioned in said last named channels.
 5. Apparatus as recited in claim2 in which said supported members have channels therein dimensioned tostraddle said baseboard sections, and said studs are positioned withinsaid last named channels.
 6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5 in whichsaid supported member is a picture holder comprising: a picture frame, atransparent cover, and a slidable picture backing which fits betweensaid frame and said cover.